Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1.
Subsection (a) of section 52-500 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2004):

(a) Any court of equitable jurisdiction may, upon the complaint of any person interested, order the sale of any property, real or personal, owned by two or more persons, when, in the opinion of the court, a sale will better promote the interests of the owners.
If the court determines that one or more of the persons owning such real or personal property have only a minimal interest in such property and a sale would not promote the interests of the owners, the court may order such equitable distribution of such property, with payment of just compensation to the owners of such minimal interest, as will better promote the interests of the owners.